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Meridiela.

Fatmomakke

A Sami church town by a mountain lake in Vasterbotten, about eighty kator and twenty timber cabins used for gatherings.

Updated 12 October 2026

Typechurch town
WhereVasterbotten
Nearest cityVilhelmina about 90 km; Saxnas about 15 km
Best seasonJune to September
Time to allowTwo hours
Getting thereRoad west from Vilhelmina towards the Norwegian border; a car is needed
EntryFree

Fatmomakke stands where the Kultsjon lake meets the mountains, at a place used as a gathering point long before a church was built - the first was raised in 1790, the present one in 1884. Around it are roughly eighty kator, the conical turf and timber huts, and some twenty timber cabins, arranged in family groupings and still owned and used by Sami families and settlers who come for church weekends, midsummer and funerals. It is not a museum: the buildings are private property in active use, and visitors are asked to walk the paths and stay out of them. The setting, with the mountains behind and the lake in front, is the other half of it.

Highlights

  • About eighty kator - turf and timber, in family groupings.
  • Some twenty timber cabins - still owned and used.
  • A church of 1884 - the second on the site.
  • A lake and mountain setting - Kultsjon below the peaks.

When to go

June to September; gatherings are at midsummer and church weekends. Two hours.

Things to know

The buildings are private and not to be entered. It is a living religious and community site, not an attraction. There are no facilities. The road out is long and remote.

Nearby

Saxnas is east; Marsfjallet and the Vindelfjallen are north.

What to pack for Fatmomakke

Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.

  • Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
  • Shelter suited to the place - Tent, tarp or hut booking - match it to the terrain and rules. Find on Amazon
  • A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
  • A warm sleeping bag + mat - Rated a little colder than you expect the nights to be. Find on Amazon

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Plan your trip

Where to start if Fatmomakke is going on the list.

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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